Part Six

"Do you ever stop?" Christian complained when he let Phoebe back into his hotel room. He was tired and hungry and his patience with her was growing thin.

"Do you?" she retorted. "There it is," she announced when she spied her cell phone on the floor near the desk. She bent over to pick it up, "I told you it must've fallen out of my bagGreat, battery's dead. Piper is so gonna kill me."

Christian, however, was paying more attention to her well-toned muscles that were revealed from the slit in her skirt than to her words. She was suddenly standing before him and he didn't bother to hide his satisfaction.

"Stop it," she demanded. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" he asked in feigned innocence even as he took a step closer to her.

"Like you're about to devour me," she nervously replied. The look in his eyes, so much like Cole's before they were about toPhoebe pushed Christian back, "I have to go."

"Before dinner?" he asked when she reached the door.

"With me as the main course?" she sighed with her hand on the door's latch. She turned around. "Aren't you sick of me yet? Your whole day was ruined because of me. Why do you want to have dinner?"

"Because I'm hungry," he shrugged.

"I'm sure Tami from the front desk would be more than happy to accompany you," she sarcastically suggested.

"Teri," Christian nonchalantly corrected, "works the evening shift."

"It's Tara," she nearly screamed. "You can't even get that straight! God, it's pathetic the way they fawn all over you."

"They?" he wondered with a grin.

"Don't tell me you weren't turned on by the way all those nurses kept looking you over," she snapped. "Three times in fifteen minutes, you were asked if there was anything they could do for you. I'm surprised you didn't ask that last one, the redhead, for the supply closet."

"No need to get nasty, sweetheart," he glowered. "What about you and that doctor? That slit of yours didn't open wide by itself every time he walked by."

"How dare you!" she shouted. "I'm the one who was hurt and you could barely keep your hands off that blond who only made it worse when she was busy watching you instead of what she was doing to me."

Christian laughed, "Dr. Foster was just being friendly. Professional courtesy, you know. You sound almost jealous."

"I have to go," she insisted and turned around again.

"What about dinner?" he asked again as the door was opened.

"Look, I am really sorry about today," she apologized again without facing him, "but dinner isn't a good idea. We barely got along today, why not salvage what's left of the evening?"

"I'm a glutton for punishment. Besides, baby, you intrigue me," he smiled as he pushed the door closed, turned her around, and caused her to back up against the door. "All your talk about premonitionsI want to see more," he whispered in her ear.

"You want too much" she whispered but couldn't stop herself as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. And, as he groped her body and her hands quickly maneuvered the buckle of his belt, a voice in the back of her mind warned that this was her dream coming true. This man. Not Cole. But Phoebe buried that tiny voice and, instead, invited Christian's probing tongue into her mouth.

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As his breathing returned to normal, Christian smiled at the woman beneath him and carefully slid off to her side. "If that was my punishment, I'd almost hate to see a reward from you," he teased.

But Phoebe rolled over, unable to face him. "More than you could handle," she lightly said.

"Somehow, sweetheart, I doubt it," he considered with a grin. "But how about if we find out?" He reached over and brushed her cheek and was surprised that his fingers were damp. She was crying. "Hey," he teased, "my reputation's on the line. Women may cry tears of ecstasy with me but never sorrow."

Phoebe snorted softly and wiped her eyes. "First time for everything," she informed him. But she didn't turn over. He wasn't Cole. She hadn't believed he was. Not really. But with all that she'd still hoped. And now, in spite of how satisfied Dr. Christian Troy could leave her, she knew he wasn't Cole. And, to her surprise, it hurt.

Suddenly, he felt defensive and accused, "Hey, baby, you wanted this too. I didn't imagine your body's reaction to mine."

"I didn't say you did," she quietly agreed, "and I know what happened here was mutual. You don't have to worry about a lawsuit or anything."

"What did he do to you?" Christian softly asked while he wondered if he should touch her.

Phoebe stiffened and tried to sound normal when she asked, "Who?"

"Your ex," he replied patiently. "The one I look like. Do you feel guilty because he didn't satisfy you like this?"

"Get over yourself," she snapped and quickly turned over to face him. "Cole satisfied me in ways you could never imagine."

"Then how," he asked as he ran a gentle finger along her shoulder, "how did he hurt you? Did he abuse you? Hit you?"

"Of course not," she responded tersely. She was offended he could even think she would settle for someone like that. But then she remembered that Christian was a stranger who didn't know her at all. "He loved me," she whispered instead, "that's all he did. He loved me."

Christian shook his head and admitted, "I don't get it."

"I don't suppose you would," she commented as she wiped away a few more tears.

"Another insult," he sighed. "No wonder he left you."

"You don't know anything about it, about us," she snapped and abruptly sat up.

"If he loved you like you say," he responded as he also sat up, "then he wouldn't have left on his own and you wouldn't be so bitter so you're the one probably at fault."

"I gave up everything for him," Phoebe said through clenched teeth and gathered the sheet around her, "and it wasn't enough. Don't you get it? Our love wasn't enough to save us. To save him."

"Maybe you didn't give him a chance," he pointedly stated. "To hell with this," he muttered as he threw off his cover, got up, and stalked to the bathroom, "more proof why love isn't worth it."

"But it is," Phoebe said sadly to herself, "it is worth it." Feeling as though she'd lost her innocent in an unexpected way, she left the bed and entered the bathroom. He turned in the shower and glared at her. "Love is worth it," she promised, "and one day you'll see when you're faced with making a choice. A choice between your happiness and hers. And you'll choose hers because you love her and, in spite of all the pain you'll feel, all the pain you'll both feel, you'll think it was worth it because you love her and you gave her what she needed even though it wasn't what either of you wanted."

"Another prediction?" He frowned at her but his tone wasn't as angry as before.

She shook her head, "Not like the one I told you about this afternoon." She turned to go but he called her and she waited.

He reached out his hand through the gap of the shower curtain, "Come on in, no sense in you wasting water in a separate shower later."

After a slight hesitation, Phoebe dropped the sheet and joined him. "Bet the hotel'll be sorry to see you go, Mr. Conservationist."

Christian laughed in spite of her jab, pulled her closer, and kissed her lustily under the pounding hot spray.

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"That was heavenly," Phoebe sighed as she placed her napkin on her plate and pushed it to the edge of the bed. "I didn't realize how hungry I was." She caught Christian leering at her and she rolled her eyes. "What is it now? Don't tell me I've stroked your ego once again."

He pulled her back, brushed aside her hair, and kissed her neck. "That wasn't all you were stroking an hour ago," he murmured before he nipped her earlobe.

"We haven't eaten all day," she reminded him. She tried to ignore his warm breath on her shoulder so she nudged him away, grabbed both plates, and carried them to the desk. She didn't have to see him to know that his eyes were watching her every move. "You're a real piece of work," she muttered before she turned around and faced him with her hands on her hips.

"So are you," he teased as his grin widened. "Now, come here," he ordered. He saw her resist and admitted, "Truce. I only want to wrap your hand again. It's a good thing I called for one this morning because the bandage from the hospital is still soaked."

"And whose fault is that?" she retorted even as she returned to the bed with the spare bandage and dropped it in his lap. "You're the one who invited me into the shower, remember?"

"And you agreed," he reminded her with a grin as she sat again on the bed. While she pulled the sheet modestly over her breasts, he sighed and unrolled the bandage slightly. He reached for her injured hand and, while he began to wrap it, added, "Maybe you should try accepting some of the blame sometimes." He felt her tense and looked up to see pain reflected in her eyes. Maybe he grabbed her hand too quickly or too tightly. "Did that hurt?" She didn't answer and he realized that it wasn't what he had done but what he had said. "I was only teasing," he tried to assure her when she pulled away and turned from him.

Phoebe nodded and wrapped the sheet tighter around her. She quietly said, "Just hit a little too close to home. It's late, I should go."

"Wait," he began as she stood up and started gathering her clothing, "I do need to wrap your hand."

She glanced at her swollen wrist and shook her head. "It can wait until I get home."

"Phoebe, wait," he apologized, "I didn't --"

"That's the first time you've called me that," she interrupted as she turned to face him. "By name," she clarified. "It's always been sweetheart,' or baby,' but never my name."

"Should I apologize for that too?" he asked in confusion.

"No," she apologized when he took her comment the wrong way, "I just was surprised. It soundeddifferent. Good different." But she didn't wait for a response, quickly entered the bathroom, and shut the door behind her. She concentrated solely on getting dressed and was therefore done in just a few minutes. When she opened the door, she found Christian nearly dressed and buttoning his shirt. He stopped when he saw her watching. "Thank you," she quietly said as she grabbed her bag, "for everything today."

"Come here," he told her as he picked up the bandage from the bed. After she quietly sat, he knelt before her and silently, and efficiently, wrapped her hand.

When he was done, she looked at him and reminded him, "I'm never wrong with my premonitions. Whatever you may think of me, no matter how crazy you think I am, just remember what I told you."

Christian nodded and sighed, "A short, fit, bald man with tattoos all over his upper body with a huge bodyguard type companion. And I told you I don't know anyone by that description."

She shook her head and insisted as she stood, "I know it's out of context but I saw you strapped to a chair and he was injecting you over and over." He stood before her and she gazed up into his eyes, "Promise me you'll be careful." He was about to retort and she begged, "I'm serious, Christian."

He smiled and caressed her cheek, "I think that's the first time you called me that." He wiped away a stray tear from her cheek and continued to smile when he added, "By name, I mean."

She didn't smile but suddenly pulled him closer and kissed him. When they opened their eyes, she quietly said, "Goodbye."

Unsure why his heart tightened at the thought of her leaving, he hugged her. But the need to lighten the moment grew so he whispered in her ear, "If you ever want to be nipped or tucked, you've got my number."

"Oh, that I do, Dr. Troy," Phoebe chuckled with relief as she pulled away. "You might want to consider," she suggested as she walked to the door and opened it, "that it's poor practice to sleep with your patients."

"Another prediction?" he asked as he turned her around.

"Nope," Phoebe shook her head and kissed him one last time, "just common sense, something you're obviously lacking." She quickly touched his lips with two fingers and seriously told him, "Take care of yourself."

Christian kissed her fingers while they still touched his lips and then took her hand in his. He gave it a squeeze and released it, "You too." She smiled at him and he watched her walk down the hallway and turn the corner before he stepped back inside and closed the door behind him.

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